Khalistani Outfit Babbar Khalsa Trying To Settle Key Members Outside India: NIA

Khalistani terror outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) is trying to settle its key members outside India with assistance from 'Pro-Khalistan Elements (PKEs)' living in foreign countries, the National Investigation Agency has found. The central agency came across the phenomenon during its wide-ranging investigation into the nexus between India- and foreign-based gangsters, terrorists, and drug dealers.

"The BKI at present is active in the US, Canada, the UK, Belgium, France, Germany, Norway, Switzerland and Pakistan. The terror group continues its operations from Pakistan with the support of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). It has been officially banned and designated as an international terrorist organisation by several countries India, Canada, European Union, Japan, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, and the USA," the NIA said in its charge sheet filed in March.

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In its charge sheet, NIA has also mentioned the modus operandi of cooperation between Khalistani terrorists and organised crime ring leaders in India and Canada. Gangsters fulfill the requirement of pro-Khalistan elements by providing them with shooters to carry out targeted killings, news agency ANI reported. In return, the gangsters get access to sophisticated weapons from across the border.

A total of 16 gangsters were named in the charge sheet which further revealed that gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's group forged alliances with pro-Khalistan outfits in order to procure sophisticated weapons from abroad.

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"The requirement of sophisticated weapons that includes assault weapons, hand grenades, IEDs, explosives etc. could not be met within the country. Therefore, they aligned themselves with Harwinder Singh alias Rinda through his old association with Lawrence Bishnoi which was further strengthened by close association of Lakhbir Singh alias Landa with Goldy Brar," the NIA charge sheet reads.

(Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi leaves after appearing before a Delhi court in April 2023. Pic sourced from ANI)

According to NIA, BKI is currently headed by Wadhwa Singh Babbar, who is hiding in Pakistan. He personally supervised the assassination of Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh on August 31, 1995, the agency said. Lakhbir Singh alias Landa and Harwinder Singh alias Rinda are presently the most important associates of Wadhwa Singh Babbar, ANI wrote.

(With inputs from ANI)